Coquettish
by Verboten Byacolate
Summary: Stein/Marie, 10 song theme. "I don't want it to heal," Stein said, smearing his blood on her lips with his free thumb. "Leave it."


A/N; Everyone seemed to be doing this with Soul/Maka, but I noticed that many of my songs were more Stein/Marie oriented, and so here I am, and here you are. It's my first time writing Stein and Marie (ever), so I'm excited! Please enjoy, and please review.  
Disclaimer; If I owned Soul Eater, it would be published in Shoujo Beat for sure.  
LET IT BE KNOWN THAT BYA DOES NOT CONDONE SMOKING, DRINKING, OR EXPLODING WALLS DURING FITS OF RAGE.

**Coquettish**

**1/New Brilliant: She Moves Sweet**

.

She was almost like a child, he mused, intrigued by the beauty of the exploding lights above, but pushing the heels of her hands against her ears to muffle the intense, harsh boom of sound. With one eye Marie could only take in so much. And she did; she held a fascinating adoration for nearly everything she saw. Stein noted respectfully that she tended to make the most of her situation.

One day. She'd managed to talk him out of his house for the entire day on New Years eve, and the day was more than over: into the night they boldly traipsed. Marie had dressed snugly, but Stein's outfit didn't differ from the norm. Frustrated, Marie forced him into her second pair of gloves at least, and bought him coffee to regulate his temperature. She acted more like a mother than his house guest, but it wasn't as though Stein minded.

Lifting the thermal cup to his lips, he watched Marie's face reflect the bright flash of colors in the sky, her brown eyes dilating every time the sky went dark. Stein's interest in fireworks had died long ago, but he didn't think it would ever be like that for Marie Mjolnir. Her reactions were one of the most interesting parts about her. She was so predictably unpredictable: One knew for sure that her eyes would react before the rest of her, full of emotion. Open. But the things she might do were unpredictable. All of the possibilities drove Stein off the edge of curiosity. He could not dissect her, but he found that surprisingly, that left room for a much wider variety of experimentation.

Today he had seen so much of her that, even in living together for a time, he had not seen; familiar anxiousness, unfamiliar dominance, expected calm, unexpected violence. There were old sides that made him comfortable, and new sides that drew him in. Stein, as usual, was intrigued. More than once he touched her; soft brushes made her blush. They had been pushed together in crowds of after-holiday shoppers, and she had been unable to speak for a few moments afterword. Merely seated next to him on the bus brought about no abnormal reaction, but whenever they spoke, he saw the fire of life in her eyes.

Stein shifted closer to her in their places on the grass. He had positioned himself on her blind side so he could better observe her without her knowledge. Marie jumped when he ran his fingers in a comb-like fashion through her hair, removing a lock and observing it between his fingers. Once again, she could not speak, but he had successfully averted her attention from the fanale she had been so excited about watching.

Now, Stein knew for certain what his motives had become.

He wanted Marie as his new project.

**2/Ludo: Air-Conditioned Love**

.

If it weren't for the madness, he wouldn't have done it.

Or so he likes to tell himself. He really wasn't overcome so much as influenced, but it was enough. Her purity against the night-- against his-made-hers dark sheets-- drew him in. It wasn't like Medusa... this was completely different. The feelings of the two women differed, nearly opposite sides of the female spectrum. Medusa lusted enough for both Stein and herself; for power, for control, and possibly for the usual. The doctor was barely given enough time to think her way before she withdrew. But the greed, the lust, remained. It was maddening.

In Marie's case, though, passion took lust's stead. Passion for life. Passion for love. Passion for teaching. Passion for right. When he met her eyes, he would be overcome with Marie's life. When she spoke, she spoke with assurance. When she smiled, she smiled with meaning. When she cried, even in those moments, it was passionate. She meant everything she did. She did not have Medusa's manipulation. She did not have Medusa's hidden agenda. All she had was herself. She was completely open; there was nothing for Stein to uncover. If he asked, she would tell. Marie did not have Medusa's mystery.

For certain, if it were Medusa sleeping soundly amidst the midnight sheets in his guest bedroom, her soft locks cascading over the sheets -- apparently she had thrown her pillow to the floor, he noticed with an odd smirk -- her features illuminated in the moonlight glow, he would not have hesitated so. Stein could not differentiate his feelings: he could not decide between "charmed" and "seduced." On warm nights she tended to dress lightly, so he was leaning towards seduction. But this was not Medusa, and seduced or not, madness or not, Stein found himself hesitating. It was such a foreign concept, this hesitation. He had never found a need for it, so why now? He was curious. He was charmed. He was insane. He wanted her. He would have her.

Stein stepped into the room, finding the footstep soft, light. His foot wished for her to sleep; it did not want to wake her. Stein didn't blame it; she was beautiful in slumber.

Another step, and Marie stirred. She rolled over toward the edge, her arm falling, her knuckles brushing the floor. Marie's back glowed white; the thinly strapped sleeping top she wore showed plenty in the front, but much more in the back. Her shoulder blades were curved perfectly, and Stein wanted to touch them. Another step. The floorboard creaked.

"Shtn..." she mumbled through her shoulder. He supposed it was his name. Marie did not seem to be awake.

"You should wake up," Stein muttered under his breath, his glasses glinting. "You might not fight me off, but you should know who I am."

When he touched her, he knew instantly that it could be all over. He could to anything. He could kill her. He could have his way with her-- with his body, or with his scalpel. Stein's fingers traced over her shoulder blades and between the dip of her shoulders. Marie did not move. "..nn... Shtein..."

With that, his mind was resolved. Stein gripped her shoulder and rolled her over onto her back and grabbed her second sheet, wrapping it tightly around her. He exited the room without a backward glance, shutting the door firmly behind him.

His words were mistakes. His thoughts were unclean. He was besmitten. And he was certain that fault belonged to the madness.

**3/The Bird and the Bee: La La La**

.

There was no reason for her to go... which was probably why she did it.

It was a snow day at Shibusen, which was good, because the white flakes had caked and piled so high outside the door that Marie could not leave to teach her students, no matter how much she wanted to be with them. So, with papers graded and the next school day's assignments ready to be worked on, Marie had nothing to do. She decided to clean the house. Well... not so much cleaning as dusting. Stein rarely left his lab, so the house was untouched, aside from Marie's room and the kitchen (not all things could be made in beakers). So she set about dusting.

Never before had Marie taken the time to search Stein's house, more than a little afraid of what she might find. She had known that there was more than one floor, and that he had a basement, but she had never thought he would have an attic-- and such a roomy one, at that. So after opening the small, terribly old window, when the dust had cleared, she found a completely untouched room. There were a few trunks here and there, and a few random artifacts from decades past dotted the room as well. There was even a 60's style movie projector. Marie was too afraid of breaking it to touch it, since there was already a crack in the lens, but she admired it all the same.

The space didn't have that creepy feeling most attics did, which was odd, seeing as this was Stein's house... or maybe she had already gotten used to creepy things and wasn't phased anymore...? Well, whatever it was, with the window closed, the attic was a cozy environment. But it was a shame not to share it.

Stein's attic was inhabited moments later with a second person, the first tugging him by the sleeve.

"But it's so... untouched. It's like you didn't know this place was here!"

"I've been in my attic before, Marie."

"I can't believe that." She sat on a trunk by the old projector. "What are in these boxes?"

"You haven't looked in them yourself?"

She laughed nervously. "Well, that's... um..."

Stein smirked. "Afraid something will pop out at you? Don't worry. Nothing in these boxes is alive."

_Somehow, that doesn't ease my soul_, she thought warily. "Why didn't you tell me that you had an attic?"

"Why would you need to know?"

Marie didn't quite know how to answer that. She ignored it. "I can't believe you didn't tell me that you had an attic. It's like you kept something personal from me-- your beloved guest!"

"Is that how it is?" He seated himself beside her. "What else would you like me to share with you, Marie? I have no favorite color. I like coffee. My hobbies are smoking and cutting things open. My partner left me for his wife. I used to have your teaching position. My eyesight is diminishing by the web page. I tend to never wake up in my bed-- but the smell of coffee makes the pain of my sore back bent over the keyboard almost worthwhile." He rested his chin in his palm and gazed at her sideways. "Even though sometimes I'm afraid you'll burn my kitchen down, I appreciate you making my meals. I used to forget on occasion to eat. I haven't been allowed to since you've been here. I get less work done because of it, but it's nice."

Marie never wanted to leave, but if Stein had ever wanted her gone, she would go. She was always afraid that she would do something stupid, or mess something up so badly that he would find her bothersome and want her to go away. Marie would never go completely, of course; no matter how her heart might be shattered if something like that were to happen, she had a duty to Shinigami-sama, and to Stein, whether he liked it or not. Even if he didn't want her, she knew she would have protected him from himself anyway, in any way she could. He was her first love, and was quickly reclaiming her heart.

And now she knew that, as of yet, he had no mind to push her out the door. There was no reason for her to go, which was probably why she did it: Marie touched Stein's stitched and scarred cheek to still him and leaned forward.

On his nose would be too childish. On his cheek, he might get the wrong idea. On the chin, he would think she was clumsy. On the lips... she felt like a giddy, blushing schoolgirl just imagining it. _That _would be impossible. In all honesty, Marie wanted to kiss him everywhere, but she doubted he would sit still for that. So, casting aside the fact that they were both adults, forgetting the complications and puzzlement and heartache that love required, Marie settled for planting a chaste kiss on her first love's forehead.

That she was able to get this close to him filled her heart with happiness. Marie had tossed aside her reserve for the kiss, and the feeling was that of being freed.

The attic, Marie decided with all the certainty her heart possessed, was magic.

**4/Kaneda Tomoko: Kokoro Oasis**

.

Marie Mjolnir was a snow lover.

It came as no surprise to Stein; she was just _that _kind of person. The happy-with-most-everything type. He had no real use for that sort of person, and very little urge to search too deeply into them. Their happiness always seemed to dissipate when he took a scalpel to their cranium. He had yet to delve into Marie, which was most certainly why she was still with him.

Dissection musings set aside in favor of snow, the fact remained that his temporarily permanent house guest was a fan. Many a late morning, Dr. Franken Stein would jerk awake at the computer to the scent of coffee and the excited slamming of the front door. He would screw himself to further consciousness and partake in the hot Marie-made caffeine beverage. Occasionally he would simply return to his computer screen. But more often than that, he would take his coffee beaker and leave the confines of his madness room and roll down the hallway to the window by the door. Rubbing a hole through the frost with his sleeve, he could see the fine expanse of snow on the outskirts of Death City and a lone woman marring the white perfection by making obscure, unidentifiable creatures. She claimed the tall ones to be people but stein had never seen such a fat person with such twiglike arms or long, orange noses. Well... if you squinted, it might resemble a tall Mosquito, but really, he just didn't know. And the ones closest to the ground looked like rabbits after you filled their organs with helium, but according to Marie, they were dogs.

Only once had she convinced him to leave the warmth of his home to frolic with her in the blank slate of earth: a few her students (formerly his. Shinigami-sama's son, Spirit-senpai's daughter, and the arrogant one, including their partners and Medusa's androgynous child) had come for a surprise visit, and together they had made two tall-ish walls of snow on opposite sides of his yard. Excited and red, Marie had jumped inside the door and latched onto Stein's arm to pull him out (without his consent) for a fight. The teams were uneven before he joined on account of Ragnarok, and Marie had wanted him to play anyway, so he was put on the Meister-minus-Chrona side (as was dubbed fair; Chrona and Ragnarok had to participate on the same team, and Stein was skilled enough to count for two). The war began when the weapon side decided to take him out first.

But Stein was not one for the cold. He much preferred the inside, not leaving a chair for hours, coffee, cigarettes. Marie knew, she'd said. She just wanted him to get out for a while. But she didn't pull him into the direct line of fun after the snowball fight.

Today, though, there was a hopeful look on her face as she leaped into the house, her cheeks and nose flushed with the cold. If she was surprised that he'd been at the window watching her roll another man of snow into creation, then she did not show it. "Stein!" Her gloved fingers wrapped chilled and wet around his and her voice was muffled by the yellow scarf tied around her neck and lower face. "Come outside; we'll make the most of this snow before it melts."

"Before it melts? Marie, it hasn't stopped _falling_."

She waved her hands with grinning eyes as if to say that that was beside the point. He allowed himself to be dragged out the door and into the headlights of winter.

"We're making snow angels. I've already tried, but it was no fun alone," she said, removing her scarf and tying it snugly around his own neck. He glanced to the left, in the direction that he'd seen her at the window. The newest addition to his yard was a Marie-sized hole.

"Is there something angelic about a crater?" Stein asked, surprisingly without a smirk. Marie ignored the comment and pulled on his shoulders to have him lie down. He complied, unsure why he was subjecting himself to the sting of snow melting on account of his rapidly decreasing body heat. Marie settled herself a few feet to his right, spread-eagle with her arms straight out.

"I'll feel silly if I do this alone," she said, snow melting quickly on her cheeks, which suggested that they were red of heat and not chill. Interesting.

"I'm supposed to flap, right?"

"Right."

Stein stared blankly at the gray sky, melting snow and heated breath blurring his glasses. His arms and legs moved mechanically close to his body and then apart. He struggled internally to find the fun in this pointless exercise. The doctor looked to his left. Marie was smiling to herself as the falling snow made itself comfortable in the soft waves of her hair. She was the very image of serenity. Stein wondered how he would be able to make himself break it to her that he'd rather not be here right now, because she looked as if she never wanted to leave.

And then she sneezed.

He sat up, intent on taking the opportunity to force her inside for both of their well beings. She shot up as well, frantic. "Be careful when you stand! Don't ruin the angel!"

"I'll try," he answered dryly, pushing himself off of his knees and stepping carefully out of his creation. With one hand he brushed himself off, and extended the other to his guest. She took it with a smile.

"You didn't have fun, did you?" Marie asked when he re-wrapped the scarf around her neck. "I could tell. Sometimes even you are easy to read." Stein allowed her a moment to look at their two craters, considering possible answers.

"It isn't worth getting sick over," he finally surmised. "But I wouldn't mind doing it again sometime in the far future." Noticing the happy look on her face and her ignorance of her own running nose, he quickly directed her inside. "The very, very far future."

He assumed she'd reside with him even then. She didn't seem anywhere near ready to leave.

**5/Nickelback: Animals**

.

Though he no longer really had anything to do with Shibusen, Stein had accompanied Marie to the Christmas party at her request (Shinigami-sama sure liked to throw parties...). Stein didn't know the reason behind her request, but he had the feeling it had something to do with the stares the woman on his arm was receiving from a few select students. When he asked her about it, she answered, "I took those three aside individually and asked them if they'd like a private tutor, but I'm afraid they got the wrong idea..."

"Their grades are in the toilet because their minds are in the gutter," he replied, understanding immediately. He could see both sides of the situation: Marie wasn't interested in the students. He had a good idea who she _was _interested in, and it certainly wasn't those leering boys. (But he was afraid of what might happen if one of them asked for Marie's hand in marriage...) He knew, though, exactly how the boys felt. Stein smirked; he had a better chance at making a pass at her than they were. And he was beginning to realize his discomfort with anyone else trying. But he understood how it must be-- a lovely, well-endowed young lady standing before them all day, speaking passionately about anything and everything with that fire in her eyes. No, he didn't blame the boys at all.

But he wasn't sure if he approved of Marie tutoring any male-type human being, weapon or not, privately.

At the moment, he couldn't see any of the three young lechers skulking around, and apparently some bright child had spiked the punch bowl, because Marie could barely stand. Tsubaki and Maka were nearby with punch in their hands, and knowing how Marie would feel about her students having hangovers in the morning, sat her in a chair against the wall to confiscate all the beverages in the room and inform Shinigami-sama of this occurrence.

"Can you hear me? Stay here," Stein said. "Don't move or you'll vomit. Don't talk to anyone or they'll know you're drunk. You'll be known as the teacher who couldn't hold her lightly spiked punch."

Marie nodded with a dopey grin and a wave, and Stein could barely leave her. It would be quick, though, and Marie was more buzzed than wasted; she just couldn't handle liquor.

It had taken longer than he'd thought-- Black Star didn't want to let go of his drink once he knew that it was spiked, and Maka's tolerance was even lower than Marie's. Luckily, Tsubaki's tolerance was quite high, so while she was taking care of a nearly uncontrollable drunk Black Star, Soul, who had drunk nothing all night, took a giggly Maka home. There was a swarm around Shinigami-sama, so Stein had taken it upon himself to get rid of the punch bowl, angering nearly the entire student body and most of the staff. Luckily, he had the help of the authoritative Sid and the silent, intimadating Neigus.

As expected, when he returned to his house guest, she was encompassed by the three quarreling male students. But they were no problem. Scalpel insinuations always seemed to clear an area fast.

Marie was covering her good eye with her hand. He suspected she was woozy and attempting to make the sickening shapes go away.

"Are you okay? Your posture looks very uncomfortable."

"Shtein shaid not to move, sho I didn't move."

"Good."

( ... )

The man who had offered to take her home sounded incredibly like Stein, who had gone away to do... something. Marie didn't know. She was very drunk, and this man could be anyone, and she didn't know if she could properly control herself if things took a turn for the worst, but somehow, she didn't think they would. The stranger was quiet, but she liked his voice (did she mention it sounded like Stein's?), so she attempted to chat him up.

"You know, Shtein was my firsht love."

"Are we spilling our hearts now?"

She pushed against his cheek with her knuckles. "I'm not fi..." Marie paused for a breath, "finished. Do you like Shtein?"

"He's crazy, for sure," Stein said, "to have allowed _you _into his house."

"Shinigami-sama made him, though. I don't think he woulda taken me in otherwish." Her sigh was warm and cherry-scented on his neck. "I don't think Shtein likesh me much. But I love him, you know?"

"I do."

Marie sighed again, leaning against the kind strangers shoulder and closing her eyes. "You smell like Shtein."

"Imagine that."

**6/Prozzak: Strange Disease**

.

It was raining, and Stein didn't know what he was going to do with himself.

His sex drive had never been a high one. Even as a teenage boy, he was more interested in the idea of dissecting a woman rather than making love to one. He quickly became bored with the images that popped up during a hormonal surge. And it wasn't different now. It wasn't as though he was _flustered_ or _embarrassed _at the memory of a drenched Marie in a white blouse. It had not been her intention to have him see her at all.

The downpour had begun on her way walking home from Shibusen. It was a sudden torrent of warm water, and though she had run to keep her briefcase from soaking, her papers had a much better form of protection than her body. The blouse was new, and no one had expected weather, so she didn't bring an umbrella for herself. Upon hearing the rain, Stein had decided to bring one to her. He could see her running as he traipsed through his yard, and as she neared, he found he could see much, much more. Marie slowed when she met him, her chest heaving from exertion, blonde waves plastered to her neck and face. Stein tore his gaze away upon realizing that he was staring.

"Take it," he said dryly, turning back to walk into the house. Marie panted alongside him.

"Thank you," she replied with a smile. "I can't believe how _hard _it's raining."

Stein didn't reply. He entered the house before her. "Go take a shower before you catch a cold," Stein said and walked into his lab.

And that's where he remained. The sound of the running shower entered his ears and he was able to imagine, quite easily, what the scene behind the curtain would be. Compared to his thoughts, taking a seat at the computer seemed so... unappealing. He found that, in fact, he'd rather be in the bathroom.

It seemed as though his hormones had finally caught up with him.

**7/Demi Lovato: That's How You Know**

.

He'd known she was sick because he woke up at the desk and his coffee was not made. Stein didn't even have to check her room. So for the first time ever so early in the morning, he stepped into the kitchen and searched until he found the blackberry tea. Marie had said once before that it was good for the immune system.

( ... )

Once, she'd arrived home late from grading papers to find Stein missing. Frantic, Marie searched the whole house, attic to basement, and he was no where to be found. Looking once more into his lab, she went to check the computer to see if something had triggered his madness.

Surprised, she found something entirely different.

_Marie,_

_At Senpai's. Apparently, it's a bad move to ask a female what she wants for her birthday, so I'm getting advice. If it goes wrong, I apologize in advance so I won't have to humble myself to your face. The flour you were fretting to yourself about this morning is in the drawer under the oven. No idea why I put it there. Will be home eventually._

_-Stein._

( ... )

On the anniversary of BJ's death, Marie found herself in her room, unwilling to bother Stein about her problems. She'd visited his grave on her way home from Shibusen, paid the proper respects, and had given no thought to tears, quite aware that Stein would know if she had cried. But now, late into the night, he was engrossed in his work, and she allowed herself a while to grieve once more.

Marie heard the rustle of a plastic bag and looked up, startled. Stein stood in her doorway, shaking a bag. She could see ramen and chocolate through the thin plastic material.

"Comfort food. The kitchen awaits."

**8/Skye Sweetnam: Split Personality**

.

Stein had made the mistake of informing Marie of his doubts about Marie being allowed to marry his favorite beaker. Legal issues aside, he voiced his opinion about the object's faithfulness, or lack thereof, in a dry joking tone. But Marie didn't seem to catch the joke part of it, and had unleashed a fury Stein hadn't even seen in the Kishin Ashura. The beaker wall of his lab was, in short, completely destroyed.

Flushed and breathing heavily, Marie attempted to regain her posture. She pushed a few strands of hair back into place and faced Stein sheepishly. "I'll pay for... what's wrong?"

"Nothing." Stein pushed his glassed further up the bridge of his nose. "I had the sudden impulse to take you on the floor. But that wouldn't be safe with all of this glass, would it?"

**9/Rie Kugimiya: Pre-Parade**

.

With all of her efforts, not only did Marie know what she had reached, but ultimately what she was going for. In the time she had been reunited with him, Marie had become closer and closer to Stein, resulting in deeper feelings, more time spent on him, and more dedication and sacrifice of herself. Marie Mjolnir knew how she felt. She knew that the feeling in her chest when she tiptoed into his lab every morning to clean his lab and make his coffee and drape a blanket over his shoulders was real. She knew her reason for being-- for waking in the morning, for falling asleep at night.

Marie knew Stein well enough to know that, if they were serious, he would always be there. It would be too much of a hassle for him to be anywhere else, and he had already gotten too used to her.

So now that she had him, there was only one thing left to achieve; her most pressing and longest yearned-for goal in life:

Marriage.

**10/Placebo: Every You Every Me**

.

It was late into the night, which was probably why her judgment had failed her. Stein had roused her from bed and taken her to the attic, where he had set up a small table covered in a dark red cloth. There he sat her on one side, and seated himself on the other. Stein brandished a cutting

"I want you to make your mark on me."

"Huh?" Marie rubbed her eyes, the dim candlelight making her all the more drowsy.

"For all the beings I've dissected, no one has ever given me a scar. I want you to carve your name into my arm."

Marie was unsure, but Stein's pointed gaze told her she didn't have much of a say in the situation. Plus, if she didn't argue, she could probably go back to bed sooner. So, wordlessly, Death's weapon inserted the scalpel into Stein's right forearm. It was the paler (if possible) underflesh, so it was soft and easy to cut, and ensured more pain. Marie looked up, intent on gauging his discomfort. Instead of stressed, he sat there, looking for all the world like a man charmed. Marie ended her 'e' with a curve and mindlessly bent down, touching the wounding letters with her lips.

"We'll need to clean this," she murmured drowsily, patting his bleeding arm with the tablecloth.

"I don't want it to heal," Stein said, smearing his blood on her lips with his free thumb. "Leave it."

"Nonsense," Marie replied, jerking away and tugging him with her down the attic steps, apparently waking up. "If it gets infected and we have to amputate your arm, I'll be to blame. I cut deep enough to scar, so don't be stupid."

Stein's smirk took on the possible features of a true smile. He could barely wait to mark her without marring her flesh. What a thrill this woman was turning out to be.

( . )

Fin.

( . )

**I noticed that 5 is really nothing like the song. Not in theme or anything. I'm kind of ashamed, but kind of pleased at the outcome, which was, I realized upon editing, terribly similar to the most amazing **_**Honey & Clover **_**scene ever.  
I have decided to start spelling SE character's names according to their English spelling in the official fanbook crisis edition, like Neigus. And I'm sure, eventually, I'll start spelling Chrona like "Crona." I just don't wanna yet.  
Reviews would be splendid, if undeserved. Go ahead. Make your mark on my oneshot.  
****-Bya  
P.S. I don't know why a good number of these are centered around weather. Perhaps I'm just giddy from our recent onslought of snow. And then sleet. And then more snow. And then the cleansing rain. Probably.  
**


End file.
